Chapter 22
Iwoke to Lachlan snoring and a pounding headache.
The ceiling above me was white and the light overhead felt like it was boring straight into my skull. My throat had been scraped raw, and I could taste smoke at the back of my mouth, like I’d inhaled a campfire.
But all of that faded a little when I looked down.
Lachlan was asleep, head resting heavily on my lap, his upper body twisted awkwardly in a hospital chair like he’d given up fighting sleep and had folded himself wherever he’d landed. He was still wearing his soot-stained work shirt, and his hand was wrapped loosely around mine. His face looked tired, more drawn than usual, but still . . . God, he was beautiful.
Even like this, with messy hair and smudges of ash near his temple, he looked like safety. Like home.
I lifted my fingers gently and combed them through his hair, brushing back the strands that had fallen into his eyes. I’d doneit without even thinking. His hair was soft, familiar. My chest ached.
He stirred at my touch, a small groan escaping his throat as he blinked awake, confusion clouding his expression for only a moment before his eyes found mine and widened.
“Logan.” His voice cracked around my name. He shot upright, cupping my face with both hands so fast, I almost forgot how much my head hurt. His palms were warm and rough and grounding.
“Jesus, you’re awake.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my temple, lingering for a second longer than necessary. “How do you feel? Talk to me, bonnie.”
My lips pulled into the faintest smile. “Like I tried to make out with a chimney.”
His eyes crinkled, but there was still tightness in them, like he hadn’t let go of whatever worry he’d been carrying. “Your voice, sweetheart,” he murmured, brushing his thumb over my cheek. “God, you sound wrecked.”
“It’s raw,” I admitted, trying to swallow, “and my head’s pounding. But I’m okay.” I reached up and rested my hand over his. “I’m really okay.”
He nodded like he wanted to believe me but didn’t quite trust it yet. “You scared the hell out of me.” His voice went quieter, hoarser. “When I found you, I thought . . .”
I squeezed his hand. “I’m okay, Lachlan.”
A soft knock interrupted us, and a doctor stepped into the room with a clipboard and a tired smile.
“Well, good to see you awake, Miss Roark,” she said as she checked the monitors. “You gave us quite the scare.”
“Sorry about that,” I muttered, shooting Lachlan a small smile.
The doctor chuckled. “Your vitals are looking stable, but given the smoke inhalation, we’re going to keep you for observation for at least twenty-four hours. We want to make sure yourlungs don’t flare up or develop anything more serious. It’s precautionary.”
I nodded, too tired to argue. Honestly, the thought of standing sounded like climbing a mountain right now.
“Mr. MacGregor, now that she is awake, would you please let us check you out? I’m sure you’re alright, but given you went into the woods, we’d feel better if you let us examine you real quick.”
“You stayed? Lachlan, you need to be checked out too!”
“Of course I stayed,” he said, brushing his thumb over my knuckles. “You think I’d just . . . leave you alone after that? I wasn’t going anywhere until I saw your eyes open again.”
My chest fluttered, but I refused to let it distract me right now.
“Well, they’re open, now let them check on you. Go, we’ll talk when you get back.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He winked and got to his feet, and I couldn’t stop the smile from curling on my lips.
About twenty minutes later, Lachlan was back, and I wanted to talk about everything that had happened, but I was so tired, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. He ran his fingers through my hair until I fell asleep.
Lachlan was pacing the kitchen like a caged wolf. I sat on the edge of the counter, legs swinging. I had caught Lachlan up on the ride home from the vet clinic about what had happened in the woods and I could feel the anger radiating off him.
He finally spoke. “I say we pin it on Richard.”
“I agree, but how are we going to do that? It’s not like I got him on video trying to burn the farm down,” I said, taking a sip of my coffee.
